List of open source, self hosted BaaS - Backend as a service

OpenSourceBaas.md

Backend as a Service

Note on sizes: a lot of those might be inaccurate as there might be many microservices required aside from the core release/docker image. I haven't tested these recently so I'm not sure

Supabase - ~94.9K stars

• Designed explicitly as an open source Firebase alternative
• Typescript based
• Docker support
• Full Postgres database with Realtime subscriptions

PocketBase - ~54.5K stars

• Release size: ~12 MB
• Go based, with Svelte frontend
• Distributed as a single portable executable (easy to deploy)
• Embedded SQLite database (WAL mode) with realtime subscriptions
• Extremely lightweight, ideal for small to medium projects

Appwrite - ~53.9K stars

• Docker image size: ~500 MB
• Written in JavaScript and PHP
• Docker based microservices architecture
• Realtime support across all services
• Advanced security features (virus-scanning, data encryption, auto SSL, rate-limiting)
• Cross-platform SDKs for Web, Flutter, Mobile, and Desktop
• Cloud Functions with +15 runtimes

Parse Server - ~21.3K stars

• Docker image Size: ~70 MB
• JavaScript based (Node.js/Express)
• The original open-source BaaS
• Supports MongoDB or PostgreSQL
• Has official Dockerfile

Nakama - ~11.9K stars

• Release Size: ~20 MB
• Go based
• Has official Docker images
• Requires CockroachDB or Postgres
• Specifically designed for gaming (matchmaking, leaderboards, chat, multiplayer)

Instant - ~9.5K stars

• Clojure based (backend) with TypeScript SDKs
• "Firebase, but for the modern web"
• Client-side database that handles optimistic updates, offline caching, and relational queries automatically
• Uses a triple-store on top of Postgres

Nhost - ~9K stars

• Written as a Firebase alternative with GraphQL support (via Hasura)
• Typescript based
• Includes docker-compose example
• Provides Auth, Storage, and Serverless Functions

Convex - ~8.6K stars

• Release Size: ~50 MB
• Rust and TypeScript based
• Recently open-sourced reactive backend
• Functions run transactionally and push updates to the client via WebSockets automatically
• Strong focus on Type safety

LoopBack 4 - ~5.1K stars

• More of an API development platform than a pre-packaged BaaS
• TypeScript and JavaScript based
• Good starting point if building a custom BaaS

bknd - ~3.4K stars

• Minimum Size: ~0.3 MB
• TypeScript based
• Visual backend for database management and workflows
• Lightweight and designed to run in diverse environments

Manifest - ~3.2K stars

• TypeScript based
• The "1-file backend" - define your database, admin panel, and API in a single YAML file
• Designed for rapid prototyping

Kuzzle - ~1.6K stars

• Docker image Size (kuzzle runner): ~200 MB
• JavaScript based
• Elasticsearch as a NoSQL document storage
• Has Docker Compose file

TrailBase - ~4.3K stars

• Release Size: ~20 MB
• Rust based
• Single-file executable using SQLite and V8 (for JS/TS server-side logic)
• Focuses on simplicity and performance

Conduit - ~800 stars

• TypeScript based
• Database support: MongoDB, PostgreSQL
• Modular architecture: Storage (S3, Azure, Google), Auth, Email, SMS, Chat

Para - ~550 stars

• Release Size: ~100 MB
• Java based
• Has official Docker images
• Database agnostic

Other services

These services aren't exactly Backend-as-a-Service (usually headless CMS or Database layers), but are often used in similar contexts.

Strapi - ~70.7K stars

Directus - ~33.7K stars

SurrealDB - ~29.1K stars

Userbase - ~2.3K stars

Discontinued BaaS

CloudBoost - ~1.4K stars

• Last commit in Nov 2020
• JavaScript based
• MongoDB database

Apache Usergrid - ~1K stars

• Last commit in Dec 2020
• Java based
• Cassandra database

SkyGear - ~400 stars

• Last commit in Jun 2020
• Go based

Further notes

• Platform as a service? Is one needed alongside BaaS? Dokku markets itself as mini heroku, maybe a good one to try first (e.g. Flynn, tsuru, openshift, dokku, cloud foundry)

Hello @PARC6502,

Do you know Manifest? It's an open-source, self-hosted BaaS. It allows you to create a complete backend by defining your data structure in a single YAML file, making it quick and easy.

We've released a proof of concept (PoC) in June to validate our approach, which received over 400 stars and 2,500 downloads. We're now developing the MVP with the community.

Feel free to test it and add it to your list.

Manifest - ~1.6K stars

• TypeScript based
• In Proof-of-Concept (PoC) stage
• Database: PostgreSQL
• Database APIs: REST
• Storage: local
• Auth: local,

I learedn about Prisma, PouchDB and lowdb, mongodb realm. Now exactly sure how they fit in here but are probably worth checking out.

I learedn about Prisma, PouchDB and lowdb, mongodb realm. Now exactly sure how they fit in here but are probably worth checking out.

@iamhnxt, These are not the same types of solutions. For example, Prisma is an ORM, mongodb is a NoSQL document database...

Check out Convex! Taken from their readme, it's an open source, self host-able BaaS.

Instant is probably worth mentioning too, it might be useful for the list. The instruction to self host instant is in the server folder.

i think dokploy should be added to the list

I guess Coolify is missing?

I guess Coolify is missing?

coolify is not a backend as a service (BaaS) but a platform as a service (PaaS)

Pocketbase is a single ~40 mb portable binary. That's why they don't provide docker images, it's almost pointless

bknd-io/bknd is a baas project I have seen recently.

Hi all,
I feel like ppl on this thread can help me out.
I'm about start building a new application/solution which will be used by our enterprise customers.
The problem is some will be require on prem deployment and some just want to use it as a SaaS.
I'm looking for a BaaS which allows me to both self host, for customers requiring on prem deployment on their hardware, and use cloud hosting for the ones that want SaaS because I don't want to host the service myself for them.
Any suggestions/thoughts along with reasoning would be appreciated?

I just noticed that you didn't include Back4app in your list. Back4app is an open-source BaaS platform based on Parse Server. It comes with self-hosting and multi-cloud setup and offers great ease to developers. Unlike Firebase, you can use Back4app without any vendor lock-in issues. Powerful support for REST & GraphQL APIs, real-time data management, cloud functions, a free tier without inserting banking details, push notifications, HIPAA, and GDPR compliance also differentiate this vendor among open-source self-hosting options. I think you must add it to your list.

You might also check out Run4j — a cloud-native script execution platform for Java devs. Think of it as a dev-first alternative to low-code BaaS tools, with real-time logs, API triggers, and AI-assisted scripting. Not traditional BaaS, but powerful if you need full code control + automation.

Great list - thanks!. You could also consider adding https://github.com/trailbaseio/trailbase (author here). It uses Rust + SolidJS + SQLite, https://trailbase.io/comparison/pocketbase/ talks a bit how it relates to and differs from PocketBase.

Thanks again for your list!

NIT: I'm not sure what you mean by SupaBase is "Typescript based". SupaBase is a microservices architecture around Postgres. It uses a wide range of languages including also Rust, Haskell and Elixir.

Unrelated cause this isnt self hosted but you can also use Cocobase https://cocobase.buzz